One of the key tasks in open cut mining is the preparation of a drill bench and the drilling of blast holes in the bench. Accurate drilling of the blast holes is important and can have repercussions through downstream mining and processing operations. The accuracy of drilling impacts scheduling, excavation, slope stability, material handling, beneficiation, ore loss and final product blending.
The more accurately blast holes are drilled, the more effective the subsequent blasting operation will be. Poor blast hole drilling and, consequently, blasting can result in sub-optimal size distributions for maximum crusher throughput leading to increased dilution and ore loss. Conversely, under-blasting can create large blocks of material resulting in lower productivity and increasing maintenance costs of heavy earth moving equipment.
The applicant has carried out a drill automation program. Automating drilling activities have led to a number of advantages including providing a safer operating environment for a drill operator (“driller”), producing a more stable hole with a more accurate hole collar position, more accurate hole depths and angles, greater productivity and a longer rotary bit life.
The applicant believes that further benefits can be obtained by controlling a plurality of drills simultaneously. Such an initiative presents other challenges to be overcome.
While the above discussion references automating drills, it will be appreciated that the technology is applicable, with the resultant advantages, to controlling other vehicles involved in mining operations. For ease of reference, the disclosure will describe the application of the technology to its use on automated drills but the scope of the disclosure extends to other vehicles which are able to be controlled in an automated manner. In this specification, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the term “vehicle” is to be understood in a broad sense to include any suitable mobile machine. In addition, the term “automated” (and related forms of the word) is to be understood to include an autonomous mode of operation.